Atmosphere
hideAn atmosphere (from Greek ατμός - atmos, 'vapor' + σφαίρα - sphaira, 'sphere') is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, by the gravity of the body, and are retained for a longer duration if gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low. Some planets consist mainly of various gases, but only their outer layer is their atmosphere (see gas giants).
The term stellar atmosphere describes the outer region of a star, and typically includes the portion starting from the opaque photosphere outwards. Relatively low-temperature stars may form compound molecules in their outer atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere, which contains oxygen used by most organisms for respiration and carbon dioxide used by plants, algae and cyanobacteria for photosynthesis, also protects living organisms from genetic damage by solar ultraviolet radiation. Its current composition is the product of billions of years of biochemical modification of the paleoatmosphere by living organisms.
For more information about Atmosphere, read the full article at
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News tagged with atmosphere
CO2 levels rising in troposphere over rural areas
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Dec 03, 2009 |
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Spanish researchers have measured CO2 levels for the past three years in the troposphere (lower atmosphere) over a sparsely inhabited rural area near Valladolid. The results, which are the first of their kind ...
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Greenhouse gas carbon dioxide ramps up aspen growth
8 hours ago |
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The rising level of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be fueling more than climate change. It could also be making some trees grow like crazy.
STAR TRAK for December: Geminid meteors flash in December skies
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
16 hours ago |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The annual Geminid meteor shower, which will reach its maximum on the night of Dec. 13-14, usually offers the best show of the year, outperforming even the Perseid shower of August. This year ...
Geminid meteor shower to peak on 14th December 2009
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
17 hours ago |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The annual Geminid meteor shower is predicted to peak at 0510 GMT on 14th December. Meteors (or ‘shooting stars’) are the result of small particles entering the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, heating up ...
Partial lunar eclipse will take place on 31st December
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
18 hours ago |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- In a lunar eclipse, the Earth, Sun and Moon are almost exactly in line and the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
New method of measuring ocean CO2 uptake could lead to climate change 'early warning system'
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
21 hours ago |
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An international team of scientists led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) has developed a new method of measuring the absorption of CO2 by the oceans and mapped for the first time CO2 uptake for the entire North Atlantic.
Stellar family portrait takes imaging technique to new extremes
22 hours ago |
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Noted for harbouring Eta Carinae -- one of the wildest and most massive stars in our galaxy -- the impressive Carina Nebula also houses a handful of massive clusters of young stars. The youngest of these stellar ...
A greener way to get electricity from natural gas
Dec 03, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new type of natural-gas electric power plant proposed by MIT researchers could provide electricity with zero carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, at costs comparable to or less than ...
Turbulence around heat transport
Dec 03, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Heat transport in the earth's mantle and in the atmosphere is probably not as effective as previously thought.
STPSat-1 successfully completes extended mission
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Dec 02, 2009 |
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The STPSat-1, built for the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) and operated by the DoD STP for the first year then transitioned to NRL for the last 16 months, was decommissioned on October ...
NRL Sensor Observes First Light
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Dec 02, 2009 |
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The Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) developed by NRL's Spacecraft Engineering Department and Space Science Division, launched October 18, 2009 on the U.S. Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite ...
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